1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to action-type toys for children and, more particularly, to an educational, action-type, amusement center toy for children.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Jack-in-the-box-type toys are already known in the art. Jack-in-the-boxes provide a child with only a single mechanism for suddenly moving a doll-like portion of the toy from a hidden position to a visible position with great force. This single mechanism for moving the doll-like portion of the toy generally consists of a crank which the child turns to unlatch a latch.
Also known in the prior art are shape-box-type toys, wherein three-dimensional blocks of different shapes are inserted through correspondingly-shaped openings. Shape-boxes educate children to learn different geometrical shapes and also help them develop their gross motor skills.
Although these aforementioned toys have proven generally satisfactory for the limited purposes of amusing a child for relatively short periods of time and for aiding the development of gross motor skills, they have not proven to be altogether satisfactory for providing amusement over relatively long time periods, nor have they aided the development of fine motor skills.
Further, the aforementioned toys have not utilized the widely-accepted educational concept of providing an immediate reward to a child who successfully manually performs a task. Nor have the prior art toys proven to be sufficiently intellectually stimulating so that the child becomes bored in a relatively short time.
Additionally, the prior art toys do not aid the child in developing memory skills. They do not train the child to make a mental connection between something that they can see and something that is hidden from view.